The Lone Flower

There is a lone flower that lives at the edge of my sidewalk.  It stands in stark contrast to the dull grey of the concrete and the grass that is ever growing browner as the heat of the sun swelters the living plants surrounding it. The mower respects its territory and it has survived the walkers. It's the lone flower.

Pluck not the wayside flower;

It is the traveler's dower.

~William Allingham

My tiny tiny sunflower

No words are needed (except to maybe let everyone know that I'm 5 feet tall!)

Think I've given it enough lovin? 

W. N. (Walt Neibarger) 1983: The virility of the sunflowers in a drought that ruined ordinary farm crops is evident the way the sunflowers gained height and full of beautiful yellow blossoms. Perhaps, (yes, maybe) this Kansas sunflower is an indication of the virility of the Kansas people dating back to pioneer times that have survived depressions, hard times, dust storms, floods, tornados, wars, or what have you. At least we like to think we haven't lost our ability, independence, at faith in ourselves to survive whatever comes along.  

Salsa! (Not the dance)

I made myself some fresh salsa today! I refuse to let the bounty of tomatoes go bad and there are only so many that I can give away before people start taking them out of pity.  I've added my recipe to the bottom, in case you want to taste this deliciousness for yourself!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized finely chopped onion
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 3-5 large ripe tomatoes, chopped (I leave in seeds and skin and all)
• 1 Jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1 jar green chilis  (You can add any other peppers if you like it hotter!)
• 1 small green pepper, minced
• 2 to 3 stems of fresh minced cilantro
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper

Eat it right away or let it sit in the refrigerator overnight for a stronger flavor. Enjoy!

Signs of Summer and Baffling Kitty

 Today I harvested my first tomatoes and snow peas. Looking at the size of them, I'm expecting a bumper crop this year! Nothing tastes better than a fresh tomato right from the garden. I cringe every year when they stop producing and I'm forced to buy the bland grocery store tomatoes.








My hibiscus bloomed today as well. The size of these flowers are huge! I've never had hibiscus and I'm embarrassed to say that I had to post on my chicken forum to ask the ladies what in the world this type of flower was. It's beyond beautiful! I hope they last all summer.

The baffling kitty

Our cat, stormy has the most unusual way of sleeping. She buries her head no matter where she sleeps. If there isn't a blanket for her to bury it in, she'll find somewhere.. see for yourself:

Lily pad goodness

One of the biggest selling points of this house when we bought it (at least to me) was the fact that it had a koi pond in the back yard. It had two tiny goldfish in it, but lots of beautiful foliage. I could see myself sitting next to the pond on a clear night and just enjoying the sounds of the water.

This was the photo in the listing ad.

Well, today I got the dream I'd been waiting for! The lily pads that I'd been watching grow and spread have finally bloomed! And wow are they beautiful!

Old man and his protector

I have a black lab that is 13 years old - Fritz. We call him "old man". He can't hear very well, has inconstancy issues, and can barely walk from one end of the house to the other without having to lay down to rest. But, we love him and do all we can to keep him happy and healthy.

And here is his protector... 4 year old Darwin - an American Bulldog. Darwin is very much a puppy when it comes to playing and wanting to curl up in a non-existent lap. But when it comes to protecting the house, he's all business. We have had many a mailman, delivery boy, and solicitor take several steps back after seeing him charge the front door. No better security system than a 150lb dog that is all teeth!

Baby Bird and a Garden...

Today I tried to save a baby robin that fell out of a tree. It was old enough to perch when I tried to put in on a branch, but it just cried and cried for food. I left it alone for several hours, but it every time I went to check on it, it had found it way back into the street. It continued to cry for food and I never once saw mommy come to help it. It didn't make it. RIP little birdie.

On a happier note: My garden is in full bloom and looking great! 

Planted in this square foot garden is snow peas, green beans, carrots, okra, parsley, and strawberries

Here we have pepper plants and tomatoes!

This is my garden full of lettuces, garlic, personal watermelon, and cantaloupes!